Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of arresting popular social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, in a bid to silence him.
In a post shared via his X handle, Sowore alleged that the arrest and detention were part of an effort to suppress VeryDarkMan’s outspoken accusations of corruption and misconduct against the EFCC and its leadership.
“It has been established that the @officialEFCC unlawfully arrested and detained Martins Vincent Otse aka VDM, as a means to silence him for accusing the agency and its leaders of corruption and malfeasance,” Sowore wrote, describing the action as a clear abuse of power.
He further claimed that the EFCC is exploring legal avenues to charge the activist in court, with the possibility of arraignment as early as the following day.
“The @officialEFCC is currently exploring legal avenues to charge him in court, possibly tomorrow, in an attempt to legitimize their actions,” he added.
Sowore also argued that the EFCC lacks the legal authority to prosecute individuals for alleged criminal defamation, libel, or cybercrime, noting that such matters are civil in nature.
“Nevertheless, it is essential to state unequivocally that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission @officialEFCC does not possess the authority to prosecute individuals for criminal defamation, criminal libel, or cybercrime, as these are torts that are typically addressed through civil lawsuits.
“As a result, the EFCC must release VDM immediately,” he stated.
